When this homeowner bought his house, the backyard came with a deck and patio cover already built. It just wasn’t built well.
“He kind of had everything going on,” our estimator said. The old cedar deck was uneven. The wood frame patio cover over it looked like it had been added as an afterthought instead of planned with the house. And with young kids and a pool in the yard, the rough, splintering wood wasn’t just an eyesore. It was a safety concern.
He wanted the deck pulled closer to the pool. He wanted something cleaner and safer for his kids to run around on. And he wanted a space that actually matched the house instead of looking chunked in.
Starting With a Blank Slate (Mostly)
He knew two things going in. He wanted composite decking, and he knew it would cost more upfront than wood. What he didn’t know yet was everything else: railing style, cover style, layout.
“He didn’t know everything that he wanted,” our estimator told us. So we sent him our online photo album and examples of past aluminum patio cover projects, along with physical decking samples he could hold and compare. Seeing real configurations and railing options helped him figure out what he actually liked, not just what he wanted to avoid.
That’s a common starting point for homeowners replacing an old deck. They know the current setup isn’t working. They don’t always know yet what the replacement should look like. Options and samples do a lot of the work that words can’t.
What Changed
The final plan kept the same footprint but reworked nearly everything on it:
- Old cedar decking replaced with composite decking, chosen for being low maintenance instead of a yearly sanding and staining project
- Deck extended about four feet toward the pool, closing the gap between the house and the water
- Steps reduced to a simple box step, about two treads wide, simplifying a layout that didn’t need to be complicated
- The old wood frame patio cover removed, replaced with an aluminum patio cover option, sized to leave good clearance at the eaves
The result matched the house instead of fighting it, and gave the family a deck extension that actually reached the pool the way they wanted from the start.
A Tip Worth Knowing If You Still Like the Look of Wood
Not every homeowner wants composite decking, and our designers don’t push it on everyone. If you like the look of cedar and you’re planning to build a patio cover over your deck anyway, that combination changes the math.
“If you have a cover over the entire thing, you’ll be able to maximize the lifespan of your wood decking,” our estimator said. Cedar left fully exposed to Portland rain will degrade faster. Cedar protected under a full cover holds up close to the way a covered wood porch does. It’s not a reason to skip maintenance altogether, but it’s a real factor if the look of natural wood matters more to you than going maintenance free.
What We’d Tell Anyone Starting This Same Project
A few patterns show up on almost every deck and patio cover project we run:
Cable railing is close to universally liked. Most homeowners respond well to it because it keeps sightlines open. The tradeoff is cost, and some homeowners choose a different railing style once they see the price difference.
Patio covers are the more polarizing choice. Some homeowners want a wood cover and feel a sleek aluminum cover looks like an afterthought that doesn’t match the house. Others want the opposite: minimal, open, and as much natural light as possible. Neither preference is wrong. It depends on the style of your home and how you actually use the space.
If you have young kids, think about railing style before you fall in love with a look. Cable railing and horizontal rail runs can both be climbed like a ladder. It’s worth weighing that against the open sightlines if safety is a priority for your family.
Thinking About a Rebuild Like This?
If your backyard has a deck or patio cover that came with the house, worked fine for a while, and never quite matched the way you actually live back there, you’re not alone. That gap between “it’s functional” and “it’s right for us” is the most common reason homeowners call us.
We’ll walk your space with you, show you real examples, and help you figure out what you actually want, not just what you’re trying to get away from.
Get a free estimate and let’s talk about what your backyard could look like.